Combination jar and equalizer



INVENTOR.

2 Sheets-Sheet l q. EA

Dauddaflamkall Linney D. M. LINNEY COMBINATION JAR AND EQUALIZER A r0 0 a 0 Y 0 P Nov. 17, 1953 Filed Dec. 19, 1950 ATTORNEY I Nov. 17, 1953 Filed Dec. 19, 1950 D. M. LINNEY COMBINATION JAR AND EQUALIZER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 17, 1953 COMBINATION J AR AND EQUALIZER Douglas Marshall Linney, Farmington, N. Mex-., assignor to. Bowen Co. of Texas, Inc., Houston, Tex., a corporation of Texas Application December 19, 1950, Serial No. 201,668

4 Claims.

Thi invention relates to a combination jar and equalizer, and has for its principal object the provision of a combined-jar and Circulating sub for use in oil well operations.

The invention finds particular application in connection with such tools as formation testers, fishing tools, cement retainers and the like, usually employed with an operating string in a well and in which fluid is circulated, and in the employment of which an unbalanced condition of pressure may develop in the well between columns of fluid inside and outside of the string. Under such conditions it is frequently desirable to provide means under the control of the operator by which the circulating fluid may be diverted from the operating string, without interrupting the operation of the tool, as well as means for carrying out a jarring operation should this be necessary.

Heretofore, it has been customary to provide two separate tools inserted in the operating string for accomplishing the above operations, one of these tools being a circulating sub, and the other a ar.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an equalizing jar constructed to accomplish the work of the two above mentioned tools, whereby the overall length of the string of tools may be greatly reduced.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combined jar and circulating sub, wherein the equalizing function of the device may be employed independently of its operation as a jar, so that the pressure condition of the circulating fluid may be controlled, without interference with a the use of the device for carrying out jarring operations.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an equalizing jar of sim le design and rugged construction, by which the expense of operation and maintenance of the string of tools may be greatly reduced, and which is capable of withstanding the extreme conditions of hard usage and wear to which such a device is likely to be subjected.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will 'be apparent from the following detailed description, constituting a specification of the same, when considered in conjunction with the annexed drawings, wherein- Figures 1A and 1B are fragmentary elevational views, partly in cross section, illustrating the invention in use as a j ar;

Figures 2A and 2B are similar views of the invention, illustrating the use of the same as an 2 equalizer with the circulating subin'opencon-- dition;

Figures 3A and 3B are similar views of the invention, showing the use of the same as an equal-'-v izer with the circulating sub in closed condition and Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 23.

Referring now to the drawings in greater deg tail, wherein like numerals of reference designate the same parts throughout the several views, the invention has an outer part and an inner part, the outer part being made up of a cylindrical upper body member ID, attached to the upper end of a cylindrical middle body member l2, tothe lower end of which a cylindrical lower body member I4 is secured. The inner part of the jar is made up of a wash pipe 16, carried by a mandrel I8, and the inner part so constructed is arranged for telescopic movement within the outer part.

The upper body member ID is internally threaded at its upper end, a indicated at 20 for connection to an upper section 22 of an operat ing string, drill pipe or the like, and at its lower end the upper body member has a reduced portion 24, which is externally threaded for connection to the upper end of the middle body member [2. The reduced portion 24 of the upper body member may be provided with external annular grooves, 26 and 28, adapted to receive sealing means, such as the O-rings 3t and 32, respectively, to provide a fluid tight connection between the upper body member and the middle body member. An internal annular groove 34 may also be provided in the lower end of the upper body member, to receive packing means, such as the O-ring 36, adapted to form a fiuid tight seal between the upper body member and the wash pipe 16. The upper body member also has an internal restricted portion 3! mediate its ends, which portion is provided with an internal annular groove 39 to receive packing means such as an O-ring 4| to form a fluid tight seal between the wash pipe and upper body member when the Jar and 3B.

A similar connection is formed between the lower end of the middle body member and. the

upper end of the lower body member, theupper end of the lower body member being, formed with a reduced externally threaded portion 38 which is received in the internally threaded lower end of the middle body member. The reduced portion 38 of the lower body member is also formed with external annular grooves 40 and 42, adapted is in the position shown in Figures 3A,

3 to receive packing means, such as the O-rings 44 and 46, whereby a fluid type seal is established between the middle body member and the lower body member.

Within the middle body member l2, intermediate its end, there is a portion 48 of reduced diameter forming a restriction, for a purpose to be made apparent hereinafter.

The upper end of the mandrel [8 has a reduced portion 50, which is externally threaded to be received in the internally threaded lower end of the wash pipe 16, and the reduced portion 50 may be provided with an external annular groove 52, adapted to receive packing means, such as the O-ring 54, forming a fluid type seal between the mandrel and the wash pipe. The mandrel also has an annular enlargement 56 adjacent its upper end portion, providing an upwardly facing shoulder 58 and a downwardly facing shoulder 60..

A ring 62 is disposed on the upper end portion of the mandrel, confined between the shoulder 58 and the lower end of the wash pipe. This ring forms a piston on the inner part of the jar and is provided with an internal annular groove 64, for the reception of packing means, such as an ring 66, forming a fluid-tight seal between the ring and the mandrel. The diameter of the piston 62 is such that it may pass through the restricted portion 48 of the outer part of the jar, but in so doing, the piston nearly closes the re stricted portion, thus greatly restricting the flow of fluid past the piston.

The mandrel is provided with external splines, as indicated at 68, for a portion of its length beneath the piston 62, which splines intermesh with complementary internal splines 70 located in the lower body member 14, whereby relative rotation of the inner and outer parts of the jar is prevented. The lower body member has a thickened portion 12 at its lower end, which is provided with an internal annular groove '14, for the reception of packing means, such as the O-ring M, forming a fluid-tight seal between the lower body member and the mandrel.

Between the inner and outer parts of the jar there is an annular chamber, indicated at 18, extending from the lower end of the upper body member to the lower end of the lower body member, which chamber is adapted to be filled with fluid through the upper and lower filling openings 80 and 82 respectively, the opening 80 being near the upper end of the middle body member, and the opening 84 being located adjacent the lower end of the lower body member. The openings are in communication with the annular chamber and may be internally threaded for the reception of closure plugs for closing the same. A lower sub 84 is threadably connected to the lower end of the mandrel, which lower sub is externally threaded at its lower end, as indicated at 86, for the attachment thereto of the upper end of a lower section 88 of the operating string. The lower sub 84 has an upper end surface 85, adapted to strike the lower end surface l of the lower body member [4, when the device is operated as a jar to secure an upward jarring action.

Beneath the restricted portion 3! of the upper body member the same is provided with openings 90, which serve to permit the flow of fluid from inside the operating string to the outside of the same or vice versa, when the wash pipe moves downwardly in the jar a sufficient dis tance to pass below the restricted portion 3?. Upward movement of the wash pipe into the restricted portion 31 results in closing off the openings from communication with the interior of the operating string, so that fluid in the string may not pass to the outside thereof at the jar, or vice versa.

It will be appreciated that the wash pipe 16 and mandrel IB are tubular in form, so that circulation of well fluid, or the like, may take place through the jar, and such circulation may continue if desired during the jarring operation.

In making use of the invention as described above, the same is connected into the operating string at the desired point by attaching the upper section 22 of the operating string to the upper end of the upper body member, while a lower section 88 of the operating string is attached to the lower sub 84, whereby the device may be lowered into the bore of a well with the operating string.

During the drilling or other operation which is being undertaken in the well the jar will normally be in its fully retracted condition, due to the weight of the operating string pushing downwardly on the outer part of the jar, while the lower end of the string is resting on the bottom of the hole. In this condition of the apparatus the openings or ports 90 are closed by the wash pipe, which extends through the restricted portion 31 of the upper body member, so that circulation of fluid may take place through the operating string as well as about the outside of the string. In the event that it should be desirable or necessary to equalize the fluid pressure of the columns inside and outside of the operating string, an upward pull may be taken on the operating string, resulting in upward movement of the outer part of the jar to bring the ports 90 above the upper end of the wash pipe l6, so that fluid may flow into or out of the operating string through the ports.

Should the drill or other device attached to the operating string become stuck in the well, so that it is found necessary to carry out a jarring operation, then the jar may be operated by appropriate movement of the upper portion of the operating string, to secure a jarring action in either direction.

In order to jar upwardly a pull may be exerted on the operating string, resulting in upward movement of the outer part of the jar, until the piston 62 on the mandrel enters the restricted portion 48 in the middle body member. As soon as the piston 62 enters the restricted portion 48 the flow of fluid from one end of the chamber 18 to the other end thereof will be restricted, resulting in the development of tension in the operating string. When the piston moves out of the restricted portion 48 the tension so developed will result in sudden extension of the inner and outer parts of the jar until the shoulder 60 of the enlargement 56 on the mandrel engages the upper end of the lower body member, to cause an upward jar.

In carrying out a downward jarring action the reverse of the above described action takes place, the piston 62 moving in the chamber 18 from beneath the restricted portion 48, through said restricted portion 48, and into the chamber above the restriction. During such upward movement of the piston a compressive force is built up in the operating string, so that when the piston leaves the restriction the inner and outer parts of the jar are telescoped together suddenly, causing the upper end of the member 84 to suddenly engage the lower end of the lower body member, and producing a downward jar-- ring action on the operating string.

It will be noted that the pressure equalizing function of the structure may take place entirely independently of the jarring action of the same, so that the device may be operated either as an equalizer or as a jar, thus combining in a single tool the desirable features of an equalizer and a jar, without the necessity of providing two separate tools, and effecting a great economy in material and compactness in the string of tools. Moreover, the operation of the invention is greatly simplified, and is completely under the control of the operator at all times.

The invention has been described in connection with a specific embodiment of the same, but it will be understood that this is intended by way of illustration only, and numerous modifications can be made in the construction and arrangement of the various parts without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus clearly shown and described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A well tool comprising inner and outer telescopically arranged tubular parts, means for connecting one of said parts to an upper section of an operating string, means connecting the other of said parts to a lower section of said string, an annular fluid chamber formed between the inner tubular part and the outer tubular part, a piston on the inner tubular part, sealing means at the ends of said chamber, said outer part be ing in communication with said string beyond said chamber, said chamber having a restricted internal diameter intermediate its ends forming a cylinder coacting with said piston to permit of the latter moving in said cylinder in either direction upon relative longitudinal movement of said inner and outer parts, said cylinder and piston coacting to permit of fluid flow from one side of said piston to the other side thereof as the piston moves in the cylinder, coacting impact faces on the inner and outer parts arranged to contact when the parts reach the limit of their movement relative to each other in either direction, said outer part having an opening in communication with the inside and outside of the outer part beyond said chamber, and said inner part being cooperable with said outer part upon relative longitudinal movement of the parts to establish and cut off communication between the inside and outside of the string through said opening.

2. A well tool comprising inner and outer telescopically arranged tubular parts, means for connecting one of said parts to an upper section of an operating string, means for connecting the other of said parts to a lower section of said string, an annular fluid chamber formed between the inner tubular part and the outer tubular part, a piston on the inner tubular part, sealing means at the ends of said chamber, said outer part being in communication with said string beyond said chamber, said chamber having a restricted internal diameter intermediate its ends forming a cylinder coacting with said piston to permit of the latter moving in the cylinder in either direction upon relative longitudinal movement of said inner and outer parts, the annulus of said piston being spaced from said cylinder to permit of fluid flow around said piston from one side to the other side thereof as the piston moves in the cylinder, coacting impact faces on the inner and outer parts arranged to contact when the parts reach the limit of their movement relative to each other in either direction, said outer part having an opening therethrough in communication with the inside and outside of said outer part beyond said chamber, and means on said inner part cooperable with said outer part to establish and cut oil communication between the inside and outside of the string through said opening.

3. A well tool comprising inner and outer telescopically arranged tubular parts movable longitudinally relative to each other, said inner part including a mandrel and a wash pipe connected to the mandrel, means for connecting one of said parts to an upper section of an operating string, means for connecting the other of said parts to a lower section of said string, an annular fluid chamber formed between the inner tubular part and the outer tubular part, a piston on the inner tubular part, sealing means at the ends of said chamber, said chamber having a restricted internal diameter intermediate its ends forming a cylinder coacting with said piston to permit of the latter moving in said cylinder in either direction upon relative longitudinal movement of said inner and outer parts, said cylinder and piston coacting to permit of fluid flow from one side of said piston to the other side thereof as the piston moves in the cylinder, coacting impact faces on the inner and outer parts arranged to contact when the parts reach the limit of their movement relative to each other in either direction, said outer part having an opening beyond said chamber in communication with the inside and outside of the string, and said wash pipe being cooperable with the outer part to establish and cut off communication between the inside and outside of the string through said opening.

4. A well tool comprising inner and outer telescopically arranged tubular parts movable longitudinally relative to each other, means for connecting one of said parts to an upper section of an operating string, means for connecting the other of said parts to a lower section of said string, coacting impact faces on the inner and outer parts arranged to contact when the parts reach the limit of their movement relative to each other in either direction, said outer part having an opening in communication with the inside and outside of the string and a portion of restricted internal diameter beyond said opening, sealing means in said restricted portion, said inner part being adapted to move into said restricted portion and cooperate with said sealing means upon relative movement of said parts in one direction to shut off communication between the inside and outside of the string through said opening, and to move out of said restricted portion upon relative movement of said parts in the other direction to establish communication between the inside and outside of the string through said opening.

DOUGLAS MARSHALL LINNEY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,835,392 Hardies et a1 Dec. 8, 1931 2,245,786 Johnson June 1'7, 1941 2,499,695 Storm Mar. 7, 1950 2,538,690 Johnston Jan. 16, 1951 2,551,868 Brady May 8, 1951 

